Lock-controlled switch



July l2 1927.

H. 'SCHWARZE ET Ax.

' LQ'cK- coNTRoLLED SWITCH Fil-'ed Sept. 6. 1921 2 Sheets-Shet 1 July 12,1927. ,635,226

H. SCHWARZE ET AL LOCK CONTROLLED SWITCH Filed Sept. 6. 1921 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 @mi2-g5 Patented July 12, 1927.

,UNITED-eures PATENT orf-ica HERMAN SGHWARZEAND EENN M. HOLDEN, or DETROIT, MIcHrGAN, AssmNoEs 'ro GENERAL MOTORS CORPORATION, F DETROIT, MICHIGAN, A CORPORATION 0FV DELAWARE. f

' LocxooNTRoLLEn swrrcn.

` Application illed September 6,' 1921. Seriall No. 498,931.

This invention relates to lock controlled electric switches and the particular form of embodiment ofthe invention described hereinafter is` an improvement on switches of the n type disclosed in thepatent to Kaisling No.

1,193,698, August 8, v1916. InA the apparatus disclosed in the patent referred zto a lighting switch includes a lever operable to several positions to controlv variouslighting 12 circuits of an automobile, and includes a lock for locking the lever in any of its positions eitheron or off.

L In the present yinvention the general object is to provide an automobilelock switch lf? controlling circuits in sucha manner that the lighting oi' the kcar to compl with thel law will not depend entirely on t 1e memory of thev driver. yIn carrying out this object we have provided that in'order to find the f key hole of the switch lock, the dashlamp yand rear klampy may be lighted before the switch is unlocked; and that thereafter when the light switch is unlocked, the fronty lights n will be automatically connected with the batteryf In lthe present invention one of the particular objects is to provide'a lockk con-v trolled switch wherein the switch lever may be movedi'roin one position to another with- 3* out the switch being unlocked to allow movement 'ot the switch lever to other positions.

Another object is toy provide a lock controlled switch including an ignition switch and a switch iorcontrolling other translation circuits such as lighting circuits of an automobile, wherein one locking device will lock the ignition switch lever in o' position but will ermit of limited movement of the other switch to certain of its positions,` before the locking device is unlocked to permit movement'oi said other switch lever to other of its positions.

A further object is to provide a lock controlled switch wherein the ignition switch lever and lever forvycontrollingV other electrical translation circuits'are controlled by a lock as stated in the preceding paragraph, and wherein the locking `device may be locked only when `the ignition switch is 1n the off position. y

A further object is to provide a lock controlled switch `for electrical translation circuits wherein a switch lever: may be adjusted to at least three positions, movement ofthe lever from first to second positions being independent of the locking device, but movemcntto the third position being prevented by the locking device; and wherein movement of the leverfrom second to third positions may take place automatically when the locking device is unlocked.

vOther and further objects of the present invention will be apparent from the following description, reference being had to' the accomdpanyingdrawings, wherein a preferred embo imenty of the present invention is clearly shown.

In thevdrawings:

Fig. 1 shows` diagrammatically a plan of the 4switch embodying the present invention together with a wiring diagram of an ignition circuit and other electrical translation circuits; and

Figs. 2, 3 and4 are diagrammatic views ofcertain parts shown inFig. l, showing these parts in various positions.

'Referring to the drawings, a support 20 carries stationary contacts 21, 22, 23 and 24. connected respectively with grounded electrical translation circuits 25, 26, 27 and 28. Circuits 25, 26 and 27 include various lighting circuits of an automobile, and circuit 28 includes the ignition apparatus for the. automobile engine (not shown). A movable switch contact 29 is rotatably supported by support 2O and is moved by lever 30. Contact 29 includes fingers 31 and 32. Contact 29 is connected by wire 33 and wire 34 with grounded battery 35.

yTo index the contact 29 in its various positions, a plate 36 having spaced lobes or lugs 37, 38, 39, 40 and 41 is provided. Plate 36 isy attached to lever 30 so as to be rotated thereby' when contact 29 is moved. Ignition switch contact 46 is rotatably supported by support 2() and is actuated by lever 47. To index contact 46 in its positions, 'aplate42 is provided with spaced lobes or lugs 43, 44 and y45.

. Lever 50 is slidably and pivotally mountedv on pin 51 secured to support 2O and carries rollers 52 and 53 cooperating 'with plates 36 and 42 respectively. Spring 54 bears at one end against lever 50 and is attached at Athe other end to a lug 55 carried by support 20, whereby yieldingly to maintain rollers and 53 in engagement with said plates 36 and 42 respectively. Locking bolt isslidably mounted upon support 20, said support carrying studs 61 and 62 extending through slots 63 and 64 respectively provided in bolt GO. Bolt 60 is provided with lug 65 adapted to enter the notch 6G between lugs 3T and stl of plate 3G or the notch 6T between lugs ll() and 41. Bolt 60 is provided with lug 68 adapted to enter the notch 69 between lugs 43 and t of plate e2. Obviously the bolt cannot be moved to locking position unless the contact 4G is in off position as shown in Fig. 1.

The bolt 60 is actuated by a key operated locking cylinder 70 journalled in a support 7l. Cylinder' 70 carries a pin 72 for engaging a stud 73 carried by bolt 60. As shown in Fig. l, bolt G() is in unlocked position, but one count-er clockwise turn of cylinder 70 will cause pin T2 to move bolt 60 to locked position shown in Figs. 2 and 3.

Starting with the bolt 6() in locked position, as shown in Fig. 2, ignition switch contact t6 will be locked since lug 68 will then be located in notch 69 of plate 42. The switch contact 29 may, however, be moved from the off position to its second position of adjustment, or to its first circuit making or on position as shown in Fig. This is possible since notch 66 is wide enough to permit finger 3l to engagecontact 2l before lug 65 is struck by lug 4l. lVhen this occurs, the dash lamp or instrument board lamp of the automobile will be connect-ed with the battery 35, thus enabling the driver to find the keyhole in the locking cylinder TO after dark.

Referring to Fig. 3, when contact 29 has been moved into its first on position, the detent roller 52 will be in the position shown wherein it has ridden over the point of lobe 39 and part way down onto the beveled camming surface 39a. Then the bolt 6() is moved into unlocked position shown in Fig. et, the roller 52, being urged by spring 5st against the surface 39a, will exert a pressure in such a direction as to produce clockwise rotation of contact 29 so as to bring finger 3l into engagement with contacts 21 and 22. In this manner the automobile side lights will be automatically turned on. Therefore the driver need not remember to turn on the side lights to comply with the city driving ordinances.

The fact that the driver cannot see the keyhole after dark makes him operate the switch lever to obtain light at the keyhole. Since the rear lamp is on the same circuit with the dash lamp, the rear lamp will inadvertently be turned on. The unlocking` of the ignition switch lever in order that the engine may be started turns on the side lights. Therefore the external lighting of the automobile becomes automatic depending on the unlocking of the ignition switch after dark.

It is advantageous to place the rear lamp on the dash lamp circuit for in some places the lighting of the rear lamp only is necessary for parking. Locking the light switch so that the side and head lights cannot be turned on without authority prevents waste of battery current by meddlers.

By turning the contact 29 to its third on position when the roller 52 will engage in the notch between lobes 3T and 38, causes linger 31 to disengage contact 22 and to engage contact 2b to connect the head lamps with the battery; and finger 32 will then engage contact 2l but notI contact The ignition switch will be held resiliently in its olf position, as shown in Fig. l, by the engagement of the roller 5? in the notch between lugs Ll-l and l5, and in the on position by the engagement of the roller in the notch between lugs i3 and 4st.

While the form of mechanism herein shown and described constitutes a preferred form of embodiment of the invention, it is to be-understood that other forms might be adopted, all coming within the scope of the claims which follow.

le claim:

l. In mechanism of the class described, a movable member, locking means for preventing movement of said member beyond, but permitting movement to, a certain predetermined limit.y and means positioned by movement of said member to said predetermined limit for causing further movement of said member when released from the locking means.

2. In mechanism of the class described, a movable member adapted to be adjusted to at least three positions, a lock-controlled device adapted to prevent movement of said member from the second position to the third, and means for retaining the member in any of the positions. said means operative to throw the member from the second position to the third when released from said. lock-controlled device.

3. A. control element having a first or neutral position and second and third positions in which it permits the actuation of mechanism, locking means preventing movement of said element to said third position but permitting movement to said second position, and means for moving said element from said second position to said third position upon release from said locking means.

et. switch having an open position and two circuit closing positions, a lock adapted to permit movement from open position to the first circuit closing position but preventing movement to the second circuit closing position. and means operating upon the release from said lock to move the switch from the first circuit closing position to the second.

5. In an electric lighting system, a lock switch having an open position and two circuit. closing positions adapted to control different lamps, a lock adapted to prevent from the first when released from said lock.

6. A lock switch comprising a movable switch member, a plurality of contacts with which said member may engage successively, means for retainingsaid member in a plurality of adjusted positions,` and a lock-controlled device for preventing' movement of said member beyond the iirst two positions, said retainingl means being so constructed and arranged as to throw said member from the second position to a succeeding position yupon release from said lock-controlled device. f

7. A lock switch comprising a series of contacts, a switch member adapted to move successively into engagement with said contacts, a lock `for said member permitting it to be moved from open position to engage the first of saidy contacts before being unlocked, a detent cooperating with said mem` ber to retain it yieldingly in its positions of adjustment, said detent being operative to move sai-d member from the position in whichl it engages said rst contacts upon release from said lock.

8. In a switch, the combination with a plui'ality of stationary contacts each for connection with a current translation device, of

a movable member for connecting one orI more o1 said stationary contacts with a current source, lock controlled means when in locked position permitting movement of said movable member to engage one of said contacts but preventing movement to engage the other contacts, and means for causing said movable member to engage another of said contacts, said means being placed in condition for operation by the movement of said member into engagement with one of said contacts and caused to operate automatically when saidlock controlled means is moved into unlocked position.

9. In a switch, the combination with a plu rality of stationary contacts each for connection with a current translation device, of a movable member for connecting one or more of said stationary contacts with a current source, lock controlled means when in locked position permitting movement of said movable member to engage one ol said contacts but preventing` movement to engage the other contacts, and means dependent on the movement of said movable member into engagement with one of said contacts and upon the movement of said lock controlled means into unlocked position to cause said movable member to move automatically into engagement with another of said contacts.

10. In a switch, the combination with a plurality of stationary contacts each for connection with a current translation device, of a movable member for connecting one or more ot said stationary contacts with a current source, a lock controlled bolt, a plate movable with said member, said plate being notched to permit movement of said member into or out of engagement with but one of said contacts when the bolt is in locked position, .said plate being provided with spaced lobes, a spring pressed detent roller cooperating with said lobes to index said movable member, one of said lobes being so constructed that when said movable member has been moved to connect one of said contacts with the current source, said roller will ride over the point thereof and part way into the next adjacent space beyond said lobe, whereby the movement oit said bolt to unlocked position will permit Said roller to move said movable member into engagement with another of said stationary contacts.

In testimony whereof we affix our signatures.

HERMAN SCHWARZE. FENN M. HOLDEN. 

